Tsubasa Another Chronicle 0-3: Discarded Chapitres
by DestinyKakeru
Summary: *TAC 0.3* The following chapters were once part of my fanfic TAC Prologue, but I've decided to take them out, becoming a stand-alone side-story. Loosely based on TRC but contains original arcs. Warning: bad writing. Read on if you dare... ON HIATUS.
1. Repeating Time

**A/N:** All the chapters in this volume are what I label as 'discarded' — they were once part of _0.2: A New Chronicle_, but after some thought I've finally decided to take them out. I should have thrown them away, only to find out that they are still chilling out in my computer, buried among the mess of many files I had for the stories I've ever written. I feel saddened to move them to the Recycle Bin — after all, though these chapters are no good at all, they serve as a bad sample to remind me not to repeat the mistakes I've made in my course of fan fiction writing — more importantly, I did put in a lot of effort and time to pen them down. Yet, I still declare that the following chapters sucked big time. *sweatdrop*

Hence this compilation titled _The Discarded Chapitres_. Feel free to read my horrible writing, if you want. *shrugs*

* * *

**Chapitre 1****  
Repeating Time**

_The time that flowed by  
Had reversed back  
And sealed the loop._

- o -

[Puu~ Welcome, my new traveling companions, to our first destination — a brand new dimension!]

The four of them were thrown out of the black creature's mouth and landed in a tangled mess in a spacious well-furnished room, brightly lit by a powerful fluorescent lamp fixed into the ceiling. There was only one window, which was tightly shut, although the air felt strangely cool and fresh. The white-T boy detached himself and got up unsteadily to his feet, rubbing his ribs in irritation. "R-i-g-h-t… That was one freaking bumpy ride."

The cloaked boy couldn't help agreeing with him. _Imagine everyone landing on top of you — that's heavy._ He gently carried the sleeping Sakura onto a small bed placed near the window, and raised his head to see the darkness beyond the glass pane.

There was nothing out there. Nothing at all.

The creature ignored White-T's sarcasm. [Anyway, how should I address you all? You can just call me Mokona! Hyuu~]

"You wanna tick off the name poll?" White-T raised an eyebrow. "Rei's the name."

"_…Mirage._" The naked boy's tone was chilly. Then he scrutinized his deep-blue eyes at the foreign surroundings suspiciously.

"I'm…" The cloaked boy began, but glanced at Sakura's sleeping face before he continued, "…Syaoran. This is Sakura-hime."

"Hime?" Rei turned his attention onto Sakura. "She's a _princess_ from your world? Cool."

Syaoran studied him for a moment, and spoke again. "Say…Mokona, right? Why did you choose to land in this world?"

[Uuu~ I have no control to which world we might go to.] Mokona drooped its long rabbit-like ears. [But there's some kind of powerful magical presence here which feels similar to the one from Sakura-chan.]

"Magic?" Rei glanced back and forth at Syaoran and Mokona. "So magic _does_ exist, huh?" He picked up Mokona, then threw it into the air and caught it, as if it was a ball.

[Whee~ Rei-chan, this is fun! Fun! Whee~]

Syaoran was oblivious to the din as he headed for the grandfather's clock next to the only door in the room. He touched the well-polished frame. "It seems that we're under some kind of…curfew."

"What?" Rei stopped toying with Mokona. "A _curfew_? Man, this sucks."

[There are traces of magic on this thing.] Mokona left Rei's palm and flew to the top of the clock. [And this magic prevents us from going out of this room at a certain time.]

"Whatever. Fuck that clock." Rei slumped onto the floor, his cheery self now replaced by an annoyed look.

[It feels like Sakura-chan's…but I'm sure this is not the source. It's not as strong as the one from Sakura-chan.]

"Then where's the strongest coming from?" Syaoran's forest-green eyes glinted with a hint of excitement.

[Uun…I can't feel it…something is preventing me from tracing it…] Mokona reached out its tiny hands and patted on Syaoran's shoulders. [But no worries — if the presence is nearby I'll go "Mekyo!"] He was slightly surprised when it suddenly opened its eyes.

"Enough chit-chat. We better get some rest," Rei yawned as the clock struck one. He glanced around the room, his face still sour. "This trip is a lot worse than I anticipated…Well, at least there's a fridge…"

Mirage had already hit the ground during their conversation.

x x x

_[Shizuyo-san!]_

"So, how are your new traveling companions?"

[They're rather fun — I mean, they're so different in their personalities.]

"I am glad that you are enjoying their company."

[But…I've a very bad feeling. This just doesn't feel…right.]

_"…They still have a long way to go. No matter what the future would become, I have faith in those children."_

* * *

Their breakfast was a solemnly silent one. Mirage chewed on the chocolate-chip cookies absent-mindedly, his eyes seemed unfocused; Rei was stuffing as many assorted muffins into his already-full mouth as he could muster; Syaoran drained his cup of hot coffee with one gulp, and reached forward for the coffee pot to get another, not forgetting to glance at the grandfather's clock.

[Everyone?] Mokona was uneasy at the depressingly dull atmosphere. Just when it opened its mouth to speak again, Syaoran stood up suddenly and muttered, "It's time."

Rei gave a quick look at the clock and resumed his continuous attack on the now near-empty tray of muffins. Mirage was completely lost in his own thought.

Syaoran was obviously not expecting any form of reaction. He simply swept Mokona off the round dining table and went for the door.

x x x

The pair did not talk to each other from the moment they left the room, which was actually part of a rather small inn. Syaoran hurried past a still-snoring man at the counter and stepped out onto the street. He continued down the street, the passersby went past in a blur of colors.

[Syaoran?] Mokona called cautiously from his left shoulder and peeked at his blank face. He did not answer it, but slowed down his pace and paused at a light post. He narrowed his eyes.

They had arrived at what seemed to be the square of this unknown world. It was packed with people, be it those who had set up stalls and selling goods or those who were looking around and buying from them. The hubbub had made the square livelier than ever. Although everywhere around him seemed normal, he felt as if what he was seeing was not real. The smiles and laughter of the people did not reach their hollow eyes.

"Can you feel it?" He closed his eyes and whispered to Mokona.

[Uun…] Mokona squeezed its eyes in concentration. [The strongest came from that tower…] It pointed at the tallest building far away from the square. [But then it disappeared again.]

"Besides that." He opened his eyes and inhaled sharply. This was just as he had suspected.

The square was completely empty and quiet. There were no stalls, no crowding customers… _Nothing._Except for the dull brown buildings around him, their windows swung creakily on their rusty hinges in the gust.

[This must be the work of the _thing_ you're searching for… So strong…]

Syaoran blinked. The square was once more filled with people.

"Hey sir," someone pulled his sleeve. It was a young boy. He surveyed Syaoran with his wide wan eyes. "You're new here, aren't you?"

"How can you tell?"

The boy raised his left arm. A cherry-colored watch was attached to his wrist. "Everyone here has time with them. That's what my mother told me." And then he pointed at Mokona. "And no one here brings a strange talking soft toy around on his or her shoulder."

[Mokona is not a strange talking soft toy! Mokona is Mokona!]

"Where can I buy a watch?"

"See that store with a large cuckoo clock on the roof? That's the one."

x x x

There were no customers in the store. The tinkling sound of the bell attached at the top of the door was unusually loud in the quietness. Rows of clocks and watches lined up behind the glass on the shelves, each showing a different time from its neighbors. The designs fascinated him — snake-shaped and twisting vine wristwatches, a bull's head for cuckoo in one of the clocks…

"How may I help you?" A girl asked politely from behind him. Syaoran turned around to see the speaker.

[Hyuu~ you're a pretty one.] Mokona whistled. He couldn't help agreeing more.

Her magenta curls were tied up in a high ponytail at the back of her head, her rose-colored eyes were dazzling beautiful. She smiled, "Thank you." But he noticed a hint of sadness on her sweet face.

The girl leaned closer and stared intently at him, her eyes were as if they were x-raying him, then pulled a stool and climbed up on it, carefully taking out a gold waistwatch from the glass-case and handed it to him. "I'm sure this suits you."

The waistwatch was a queer one; instead of numbers on its watch face, tiny planets revolved around its face in a cryptic manner, as if they were trying to tell something important.

[Eh? I thought that the customers are the ones to choose?]

"No." She tickled Mokona with her slender finger. "Everything has their own uniqueness, their own soul, be it people or non-living things like clocks and watches." She picked up the waistwatch. "Clocks. Watches. They're all made by people. When people created them, they definitely put part of their soul into their works.

"Just like humans, these things may bend their will to their owners' wishes, or they may not. Although we can't see it, they have feelings of their own. Sadly, we're too ignorant to feel their emotions."

"…Because we think that we're the creator — and therefore more superior than them." He glanced around at all the clocks and watches in the store.

The girl sighed deeply. "Exactly. Anyway, I believe you do not need 'time'." She pointed to the waistwatch face. "_Time means nothing to you._"

Syaoran held her piercing stare. After what seemed to be a long moment, she finally broke the gaze, and wrapped up his new watch. "Welcome to Clock Country, stranger."

[Puu~ Mokona wants one too!]

"Sure." The girl turned her attention onto Mokona once she handed the package to him.

x x x

[Nee… Syaoran, where are we going next?]

"Buy some food to stock up the fridge. Haven't you see the way Rei ate this morning? Bet he has already finished whatever he can lay his hands on by the time we get back."

[Then…what about the tower?]

"We'll go tomorrow. There's something I want to understand."

* * *

[Morning, Syaoran!] Mokona waved the butter cookie in its little hand before chomping on it noisily.

"Morning, Mokona." Syaoran yawned and reached for the chocolate cakes, but his outstretched hand froze in mid-air. He started to fumble with his pockets and extracted the unwrapped package that contained the waistwatch he bought yesterday. He peeled off the brown papers with such ferocity that he had shredded the wrapping into pieces. He took out the watch that lay in the black velvet box and frowned at the watch face.

He finally looked up and stared at Rei and Mirage. His grimace deepened. _No way._

[Syaoran?]

He grabbed Mokona by the ear and headed straight for the door.

x x x

[Syaoran! What's wrong?] Mokona rubbed its ear as it asked him anxiously.

He ignored its question. "This is it. And now, we'll wait."

Mokona cocked its head in confusion.

"Hey sir," someone pulled his sleeve. It was the same boy from yesterday, and he surveyed Syaoran with the same wide eyes. "You're new here, aren't you?"

Syaoran merely stared back at the boy.

Without even waiting for an answer, the boy raised his left arm. A cherry-colored watch was attached to his wrist. "Everyone here has time with them. That's what my mother told me." Then he pointed at Mokona. "And no one here brings a strange talking soft toy around on his or her shoulder."

Mokona was about to retort back when Syaoran hushed it with a warning look.

The boy did not notice and continued, "See that store with a large cuckoo clock on the roof? That's the one." With that, he remained rooted on the ground and looked at Syaoran blankly.

Syaoran gazed at the tower, which seemed so far away from where he was standing. "I'm going to the tower."

"Tower?" The boy rubbed his eyes and shook his head before looking up at Syaoran in horror. "You can't go there!"

"Why not?"

"Because," the boy trembled as he spoke. "Those who ever went there never make it back alive."


	2. The Keeper of the Tower

**Chapitre 2****  
The Keeper of the Tower**

_I will guard the treasure within thee;  
For if I lose what is hidden within,  
I would have lost the very thing  
That is important to me…_

- o -

Syaoran shivered as he arrived at the base of a flight of rocky stone steps that led to the entrance of the tower. The sounds of the howling wind and rustling leaves were magnified in the unusual silence. He looked up at the tower, its large clock face now read: eleven o'clock. He turned to see the square, which seemed so distant and small from where he was standing.

He walked up the stone steps and rapped the strange curved door that fitted nicely with the rounded wall. "I apologize for my untimely visit and hope that I've not inconvenienced you. I just wish to speak to the owner regarding the history of this tower." He paused. "I've heard rumors that I shouldn't come near here; but I felt that it's necessary for me to do so."

The door swung open to reveal a very old man. His long white locks tied up in a tight bun behind his head, his silver beard was in a danger of touching the ground, and his pale eyebrows so thick that it had completely hid his eyes. He held a large walking stick in his blackened left hand. "History, you say, young man?" he inquired sharply.

"Yes." Syaoran's voice did not waver at this queer sight.

"And even though the rumors say you shouldn't?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I've never receive visitors in all my life here as the Keeper of this tower. Enter, _if you dare_."

x x x

He followed the old man and ascended the metal spiral staircase. Shafts of light entered the dark tower through scattered dome-shaped windows. They stopped halfway and the old man pointed to a dark door on their left. Syaoran turned the knob and pushed it open.

Behind the door showed a well-furnished room, its furniture was designed in a way to match with the curved walls. The old man sat heavily on the bed, while Syaoran pulled a chair from the desk.

The old man pulled out a cigar from his breast pocket and gestured to Syaoran for the lighter. He inhaled deeply, and then exhaled, smoke rings flew up and disappeared before they reached the ceiling. "Once the time has passed, it can never come back. Just like the saying: _time waits for no man_. No matter how much you want to stop it, it will just move on. And we have to move on with it. Tea," he added, pointing to a discolored teapot on the curved table.

"…I wonder." Syaoran got up and poured some into a rusty metal mug, passed it to the old man before he sat down again.

The old man raised his thick eyebrow at Syaoran's words. "Young man, time means _death_." He flashed his black shriveled hand before Syaoran's eyes. "Time ages us, and it will lead us to destruction." He took a sip and let out a loud rasping sigh.

"But with destruction, there will be new creations."

The old man laughed. "But why go to the length to let us rot with time? We should have just lived on as long as we should!"

"_No._" There was iciness in Syaoran's tone. "We should treasure all the life that we have now — to be able to live on forever is just like a living soul wandering in Hell."

The corner of the old man's mouth twitched upwards. "Come. I'll show you something."

x x x

They continued to go up higher, and reached the top of the tower. They entered a blue-colored door.

The room was huge; everywhere was filled with moving gears of different sizes grinding deafeningly as they rotated on their axis, and a gigantic ancient-looking bell hung in the middle, unmoving and silent.

"The time that this tower shows has never been wrong." The old man walked up towards the bell and stroked its dull surface. "Why? Because this is the Keeper's job…this is my job." He turned to look at Syaoran. "My ancestors built this tower; my family has been taking care of it since then. But I loathed it. Why, _why_ were they so concerned with time? Is it the fear of leaving without knowing when? Is it the regret when you did not do what you should when you are still alive?"

"Is that what you think?" Syaoran cocked his head. There was an air of sarcasm in his voice. "And that's why people should be immortal? Why should we live on _forever_? Are we even _worthy_ enough to?"

"_Why not?_"

"You don't know anything, do you?" He took out the waistwatch. "Is death something to be feared of so badly?"

"Aren't _you_ the one who knows nothing?" The old man pointed a shaking finger at him. "Do you know what it feels like to be at the brink of death?"

"…" Syaoran opened his mouth to retort, but thought better of it and closed immediately.

The old man smiled, showing rows of yellow and black teeth. "You don't, because you're too young to understand."

Syaoran glared at him. "You said that the time told by this tower is always right, and everyone follows the time of this tower. The curfew…it has something to do with this tower, am I right?"

"That's no curfew… It is so that things can replenish themselves. If humans need rest, why not time?"

"You—"

The old man pointed the walking stick at him. The tip began to glow a sinister red. "You know what, you should've listened to the villagers' advice — you shouldn't be here at all.

"Like they said, you can never make it back _alive_." A red beam accelerated towards him.

Syaoran sidestepped the laser ray calmly. "…Why are you doing this?"

The old man continued to rain the beams at him. Syaoran dodged them, his voice still steady, "What are you trying to hide?"

"Hide, eh?" The old man had stopped shooting; instead, he pointed his walking stick into the air like an oversized wand. The gears around them began to slow down, then rotated in the opposite direction.

[Mekyo!] Mokona suddenly opened its eyes. [It's coming from within the stick!]

Syaoran nodded and shuddered. The temperature in the room was dropping. "What…are you going…to do?"

The old man's scratchy voice was layered with a honey-like tone that disgusted him. "_Kill you, of course._" And he let out a mirthless laughter that sounded like a wolf's howl.


	3. Collapsing Time

**Chapitre 3****  
Collapsing Time**

_I want to break away from this nightmare,  
So that I can start everything  
Once more._

- o -

[Syaoran!] Mokona clung more securely onto Syaoran's neck. Syaoran gritted his teeth. _How am I going to reach the crazed scoundrel?_ The feather's power would surely protect that guy. And he had to end it fast before he would be frozen to death.

The gears began to spin faster. A mist was rolling in, obscuring his sight of the old man. He tucked Mokona safely into his pocket. "Hang in there—" His silhouette melted into the thick whiteness.

* * *

Rei shook his head and widened his eyes at the grandfather's clock. The pointers on its clock face were revolving backwards. He shook Mirage violently. "Oi, Mirage?" Mirage was snapped out of his trance. "What the hell is going on?"

The furniture in the room began to disappear one by one. They jumped to their feet when their chairs started to fade. Rei pulled Mirage's collar and dragged him out of the room when the door disappeared. They tore past the still-napping man at the counter, and Rei stopped short, causing Mirage to run straight into him.

The sleeping man suddenly sprang onto his feet, an unnaturally wide grin slowly spread across his pale face before vanished into a wisp of white smoke. The frame of the counter began to blur.

Rei grabbed Mirage once more and went right through the solid concrete wall. The inn they were staying at disappeared behind them.

All they could see outside were people disappearing into thin air, one by one, under an overcast sky. Nobody except the two was surprised at the fading people around them.

They simply turned to face them, the ghostly wide grins hung on their dead face.

"This is insane," Rei laughed nervously. "What…kind of place is this?"

The grinning zombies began to march towards a shaking Rei and an impassive Mirage.

"What the—?"

Rei did not manage to complete his sentence. Mirage had already swung his bladed hand at those nearest to him. As the sharp edge went through them, no blood spilled from their wounds; instead, a white smoke escaped from the wounds, then they ebbed away.

"Behind you!" Rei yelled and he drove his knuckle into a young woman's face. He would have felt sorry for her if she was a human.

Rei was beginning to break out cold sweats on his forehead. "There're too many of them…"

Then the scene changed suddenly.

The dark street was replaced by a barren and dry land. Lying against a blackened tree just ahead of where he and Mirage were standing was Sakura, who was sleeping so peacefully as if nothing in the world could possibly rouse her.

"Is this someone's idea of a joke, or are we now stuck in a dead world?"

* * *

The magenta-haired shopkeeper of the clock shop clasped her hands before her chest and murmured, "Please, oh please, let this nightmare end…"

[_I do like the snake wristwatch._] A voice spoke from a mirror placed in front of the girl. It was the face of a teenage boy in a yukata with bamboo prints. He held up the watch to his eyes and examined it closely. It twisted between his fingers. [_A real snake for the strap — it is cruel. Still, this watch is pretty rare._]

"But it's still not enough, isn't it? Not enough to fulfill my _true_ wish."

[_No,_] he disagreed. [_This is definitely enough._] He tilted his head thoughtfully. [_Well, he is more than what he seems. Trust him a little more, Zelda-san._]

The shop began to flicker and melt into the nothingness beyond. "Yes… I think I can trust him."

Then the counter was gone, and the mirror shattered onto the blackened rock-hard soil.

* * *

Syaoran's teeth were clattering uncontrollably. The fog was too thick for him to see far. He trotted on slowly and narrowed his eyes in annoyance. _Where is he?_

[S-Syaoran…] Mokona was on the verge of tears from the cold. He placed a shaking hand into his pocket and patted on its head. He then closed his eyes and concentrated. There. His grim face was set in determination. He didn't want to use _it_, but he guessed he no longer had the choice.

He raised his left hand in front of him. At once, his arm began to crackle with lightning. A sword materialized and he grabbed it by its grip, the long silver ribbon at the end of the grip spiraled into the air.

"_Youkousen._"

The fiery brilliance from the blade drove the fog away. And he didn't like what he saw. At all.

Right beneath the gigantic antique bell, encased within a huge translucent sphere, stood the old man, his walking stick drilled into the ground before him, a gray whirlwind seemed to taper towards the top of the stick.

So that old guy decided to suck the life in this world in order to fight against him. "…Coward."

"There is no way I can beat you in my current state," the old man retorted. "Besides, _I_ created this world. And therefore the fate of this world lies in _me_."

"So what? You're still a coward. _Coward!_" Syaoran spat. He clasped the sword firmly before him and hacked at the protective bubble with all his strength.

A crack formed on the smooth surface of the sphere, but it healed instantly. Syaoran snorted as if he had been anticipating that this could happen. "Do you think that by reclaiming the magic you've used to create your little paradise will make you stronger?"

"Yes, I do!" He staggered slightly when he blocked the incoming flashes of red beams. "Don't you dare mock me, you worthless little brat!"

"You call me a brat?" Syaoran glowered. "I'm worthless, you say? _Shiro Raikouzan!_"

Fissures appeared on the sphere once more, but it did not heal. The cracks crawled across the curved plane and extended like spider webs. The globe burst apart in an eye-piercing white glare.

The old man recoiled slightly from the shock that his defense had been breached, but quickly rearranged his face and jutted his chin smugly. "Hoho…not bad, boy. Not bad."

Syaoran moved towards the old man cautiously. "Shut up and give me the feather."

"Feather?" The old man looked at him blankly. "What feather?"

He answered with a lightning bolt thrown at the old man, without bothering to chant the incantation. The old man conjured a transparent shield, but the fear in his gray eyes was evident.

"_Just give me the feather, you scumbag._" Syaoran's sword was uncomfortably close to the old man's bare neck. The old man's mouth popped open in fright, then gulped, "No, I won't."

Syaoran frowned when he was forcefully pulled backwards by a mass of pearly white hands. He struggled, trying to break free from their firm grips. The old man watched him with glee.

"_You foul, you evil—_"

"I don't give a damn what you yell at me, kid."

"As if you can stop me," Syaoran sneered. "_Kibon Raikouzan._" At once, the eerie hands released him and vanished. "I'm getting tired with your whining…" He raised the sword above his head. "It's time to end this."

Then he drove the blade into the old man's heart.

* * *

"This is just unbelievable." After Syaoran — and occasional quips from Mokona — filled Rei and Mirage on their disastrous trip to the Clock Tower, Rei let out a low whistle. "I mean, that old geezer actually sucked the spirits of the dead in this world for his own good?"

[Puu~ you shouldn't disturb the dead, you know. It's rude.] Mokona chirped.

Syaoran placed the black feather on Sakura's chest. A ripple appeared and the feather sank into her chest. "The feather's power is too great for him to control."

"I don't understand."

"I…'killed' him when he was still unleashing the feather's magic. Took me quite some time to contain its unstable energy." Syaoran's green eyes pierced into Rei's crimson ones. "This world is dying in the first place. He only used its power to create a world he desired, not slowing down the world's destruction. And for that, he had sacrificed the memories of the people. Even so, he merely erased the memories in their souls, but not those that engraved on their bodies."

"But…I still don't understand."

[There're two kinds of memories,] Mokona's tone was grave. [The memories of the soul, and the memories on the body.]

"His action only sped up the annihilation of this dimension. It's collapsing." Syaoran pulled out the waistwatch and said sadly. "Shall we move on then, Mokona?"

[Yep!] Mokona leaped into the air. As the whirlwind enclosed upon them, Mirage spoke out of the blue. "_…It is disappearing._"

Syaoran looked up to see an inky blackness slowly engulfing the lifeless landscape.

Rei: "And hey, how come you guys weren't in a trance like us?"

Syaoran: "Probably because you two don't possess magical powers, that's why."

[Pan!]


	4. In the Light of the Night

**Chapitre 4****  
In the Light of the Night**

_In this inky darkness  
Someone is waiting among the shadows.  
Is he a friend…  
Or a foe?_

- o -

Light City.

[Puu~ Mokona loves fireworks!]

"Gerroff my head, you stupid pork bun!" Rei grabbed the jumping Mokona off his head by its rabbit-like ear. "There's nothing pretty about these fireworks—"

"—Because it's a celebration to our death?" Syaoran supplied without enthusiasm as he scratched the sun-shaped tattoo on his right arm with an irritated face. "This mark is _itchy_."

"Death? I dunno, but they," Rei indicated at the others who bear the same tattoo as Syaoran, "seem very happy about this Sun-Hunting quest."

[Hyuu~ the fireworks are really great~ I wanna tell Sakura-chan about this—]

Rei squashed Mokona between his palms. "You're coming with us. This is entirely your fault."

"I think," Syaoran snatched Mokona away from Rei and said coldly, "that _you_ are the one who is at fault."

x x x

A few hours earlier.

"Where the fucking hell is this place? I can't see a thing here," Rei fumed at the pitch-blackness around him. "For Hell's sake, Mokona, your landing _sucks_."

Suddenly, the darkness around them ebbed away, and he was awed by the small gold light orbs hovering around them. He was standing in the middle of a deserted shabby shack, while both Syaoran and Mirage were sitting on a large wooden crate side by side. Mokona, who was on Syaoran's shoulder, inflated angrily, [You're such a meanie, Rei-chan~]

He ignored Mokona's unhappy protest. "You did this, didn't you, Syaoran?"

"Yeah. Who wouldn't to stop you from complaining too loudly?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow in amusement. "We don't want to attract any possible wild beasts in this area." He turned his head and glanced at Mirage, who was carrying a snoozing Sakura in his arms.

Mokona giggled at Syaoran's words, and Rei began to flare up at once. He reached forward and pulled the black creature off Syaoran's shoulder, then swung it violently by its long ear.

[_Owie~~~!_] Mokona's wail echoed off the walls and shattered the crate. Syaoran and Mirage hopped off just in time as it succumbed into a pile of wood splinters. Rei stopped swinging it at once. Syaoran plucked the sobbing Mokona out of Rei's hands and placed it gently on Sakura's chest. "Please take care of them." Mirage nodded.

He dragged Rei along out of the shack by his collar. Rei did not struggle — he was still stunned from the shock at Mokona's ear-shattering cry. He jumped to his feet when he came to his senses. "Syaoran?"

"Someone is coming." Syaoran summoned his sword as he spoke.

"Huh?"

"Something is coming for us," he repeated through gritted teeth and swung the glowing sword. "_Furaizan!_"

A clash of thunder rumbled into the blackness beyond, and a loud roar nearly blown them off their feet.

"What d'you think you're doing?"

Syaoran looked at Rei as if he was an idiot. "Destroy whatever they are, of course."

"You can see—?"

"Yes."

Rei grabbed his arm and bit down hard. Syaoran merely looked surprised, but did not cry out in pain. Then Rei released him and straightened up. A thin trickle of blood was seen at the corner of his mouth — he wiped it off with his thumb and licked the red liquid.

"Sorry, mate. This is my ability — I copy powers of others by drinking their blood."

Syaoran rubbed where Rei had bit him — the mark was healing quickly. "But not all of my powers, right?"

"…At least now I can see in the dark like you."

"Good," Syaoran narrowed his eyes at the cluster of black shadows encircling their heads. "Because we need to kill those things."

The shadows stretched out what seemed to be their arms towards them. Rei grabbed Syaoran's hand and slashed at the arms with his sword. The arms disappeared into wisps of black smoke and rematerialized, staring off another attack.

"It's useless—"

"Hang on," Syaoran pulled away from Rei. "I think I know what their weakness is. _Kyokkousen!_"

A blinding white ring exploded outwards and vaporized the shadows, leaving multicolored glittering flickers that spiraled down slowly.

"So," Syaoran whirled around to face Rei. "They can't be exposed to strong light." He poked Rei hard on the chest. "You're really one noisy guy. Can you ever be quiet for once?"

Before Rei could retort, a sudden rustle made the boys return to defense stand. "Who's there?"

"It's…just…me…" A young girl stumbled breathlessly into their sight and fell down messily before them. She wore a frilly pink frock — which looked extremely ugly to Rei — her previously neat brown twin plaits were struck full of dead leaves and a splat of mud was seen on her right cheek. Her voice was rather high-pitched, and it sounded like the tinkling of small chime bells. "You two are powerful! Very!"

"Er…thanks?" Rei was left to converse with the odd-looking girl as Syaoran went back into the shack to check on Mirage and Sakura. "What are those shadowy things, anyway?"

The girl shuddered. "Those are the symbolism of evil from another world."

"The _what_?"

"But but but~" The girl began to dance around him excitedly. "I'll bend the rules this time — and I'd like to invite you and your partner to join in the quest!"

With that, she bound Rei, and trapped Syaoran as he came out of the shack with Mokona in his hand before dragging them off mercilessly on the bumpy road.

"Oi! At least tell us your name!"

"My name? It's Sophi."

x x x

The fireworks stopped and the lights dimmed, giving way to Sophi on a raised platform. She tugged at the frills of the collar nervously and began in an exaggerated trembling voice, "Long long ago, back in our ancestors' time, our beautiful city was blessed with the holy light from the Sun, giving us not only warmth and food, but also hope and joy. For many years, the Sun kept our land rich, and the people lived in harmony. Because of this, it has brought many travelers from other worlds here to be enlightened by the mysterious power that the Sun gave to this city.

"However, legend says that Ophis, the queen from the Abyss of the Shadowy Darkness, was angry that the people worshiped her greatest foe, and decided to declare war on our sacred land. And this marked the end of the years of peaceful life our forefathers had.

"After several months of pain and bloodshed, we lost to the power of darkness," she choked at the word 'lost'. "From then on, we can no longer feel the holy light and warmth from the Sun, and the regime of eternal darkness begins.

"Ophis went to remove the Sun from the sky, but Hina, the guardian of the Sun, hid the Sun and escaped into her half-brother's Dream Holic." She pointed in the direction to an eerie-looking mansion on the top of a faraway hill. "Ophis tried to follow, but she was lost in the Holic's illusionary labyrinth. It took nearly all of her powers to get out of the maze alive, and that had weakened her magic and health greatly.

"Still, we cannot tolerate this tyranny any longer. It's time we bring the Sun back and heal our dying city." She swept her gloved arm at the group bearing the Sun tattoo. "With that, let the annual Sun-Hunting quest _begin_!"

The crowd went wild as the tattooed troop began to trot towards the only winding dirt road up the hill to reach the mansion, with Rei and Syaoran bringing up the rear.

"Hey, do you think we would end up like that evil queen Ophis?" Rei asked as they approached the tall oriental gate at the foot of the hill.

"I dunno… We'll see." Syaoran merely shrugged and went through the gate, undaunted by whatever might be happening next.

Until the scene around them twisted and changed.

"Space warp," Syaoran smiled thinly. "I guess this is the so-called illusion labyrinth that Ophis was trapped in."

* * *

Mirage sat cross-legged on the concrete floor in the rundown shack, with Sakura's head sleeping peacefully on his lap. He waited quietly for his other companions to come back.

… …

After what seemed to be an hour, he sensed a movement outside the shack. He shook his head slightly, and a strand of silver among his sky-blue hair extended upwards, its end forming a small blade. It shot straight at a girl who had just appeared at the door.

"Wait!" Sophi stood frozen, the blade inches from her throat.

"_What do you want?_"

A moment of silence. Then she grinned. "So…you know that it's me?"

"_Where are they?_"

She cocked her head slightly, rolling her huge sparkling bronze-colored eyes. "They won't come back."

"_…This isn't your true form._"

"So you've noticed," her musical voice hardened and her features began to change. Her hair darkened, her eyes shrank in size, she grew taller and her pink frock was replaced by a long black cloak. She pointed her long frail finger at Sakura. "Give me that girl."

Mirage clutched Sakura protectively. "_No._" More strands of his hair lengthened outwards into many blades and went straight at the woman before him. She raised her shriveled hand to create a shield to block the blades.

"Just give me that girl!" she screeched as she threw a purple orb at him. He carried Sakura and leapt out of the way when the orb exploded. He then slipped past her and ran as fast as he could — he knew that he had no chance of winning against someone who used black magic, especially not when Sakura's safety might be endangered.

"Where do you think you're going?" She yelled after him, and he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.

* * *

Syaoran and Rei looked at the sinister towering hedges around them. They couldn't hear the other competitors of this quest — all they could hear was the moaning of the wind. A mist was beginning to roll in, and Rei became worried. "How the heck are we gonna reach that mansion on the hilltop?"

"I've been thinking about this for quite some time," Syaoran spoke quietly. "Did you feel it, Mokona?"

[Puu~] Mokona nodded solemnly. [Sophi isn't Sophi!]

"What the hell are you two talking about?"

"That Sophi girl is not what she seems," Syaoran rubbed his chin. "And I got to admit that she's pretty good, until she _accidentally_ leaked a little bit of her aura." He turned around and gazed at Rei. "She is probably the evil queen Ophis in the speech she made before this quest began."

Rei narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to imply?"

Syaoran stared at him for a very long time before he said carefully, "There's a high probability that we might die here."

**- TO BE CONTINUED -**

* * *

**A/N:** I've stopped at this chapter — you can see that _Chapitre 4_ is the last chapter in this volume — but it is obviously not complete. I have abandoned the idea of finishing the story in the Light City arc. Maybe I might go back and try, when I have the mood and inspiration (which, unfortunately, both seem to have ditched me and are replaced with real life dramas). I'm just putting this on hiatus until I can think of something to end this nicely. It's not that I don't like to finish my work with a proper ending — inspiration isn't something I can control, you know? Anyway, I won't expect you to enjoy my bad writing, really. Still, I thank you for staying with this poorly-written volume of mine to the end.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people, once again:  
= Skymaster713 — for being my kind beta-reader and actually told me that these discarded chapters are still decent enough;  
= mendystar1 — for still being my number one fan (I'm really touched);  
= And to all those who still read this and added this story to their favorite list and/or alert list, added me to their favorite author and/or author alert list when I hosted this work on — I really appreciate the support all of you have given me.

* * *

Story © destiny(kakeru). _Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle_ © CLAMP.


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